Natasha woke up with sunlight entering through the crack in the curtain. It was after eight thirty and Luca still hadn't called her. This was new, as the man usually woke up very early. She picked up her phone on the nightstand and checked the messages. One of them made her smile. There were also some messages about work and messages from Miguel saying that he would spend the afternoon picking up his son.

He got up and passed the room where the man slept and he shifted on the bed when he realized his grandmother was there. He sat on the bed and looked beautiful with his curly hair all messed up and his sleepy face. She remembered when Miguel was small and filled the house with joy.

- Good morning my love! - She said smiling at him.

- Good morning grandma. - The man responded by extending his arms when she approached.

Natasha thought it was so sweet to be called grandma. There was a time when she didn't think about being a mother, and whenever someone talked about it she pushed the idea away. Now I couldn't imagine what your life would have been like without it. Without having the chance to have a heart out of the chest, because that was how it felt.

- Shall we prepare breakfast? - He took the little man by the hand and went to the kitchen talking about what they would prepare for coffee.

Some years ago

The days passed and Natasha learned that Freddy was gone before the investigations reached him. She imagined that Reade had a part in her disappearance, but when she questioned her friend he denied it as expected. The latina let it go, because she thought it might be better this way.

The week was troubled and the case they were working on was leading to nothing concrete, but a clue that Patterson got took them to a farm that was being used by terrorists to build bombs and other types of chemical weapons. The number of agents who went to the place was very large and only when they entered the place did they realize the trap. There was an explosion and they tried to escape. Natasha and Reade separated during the invasion of the site together with other agents.

The explosion was very large, destroying much of the site and isolating the entrances due to the amount of debris generated. Weller was not at the scene at the time of the explosion and was warned by Patterson and went to the scene immediately. There were several bodies scattered among the rubble and he found Tasha lying.

- Tasha, are you okay? Weller asked, helping her to her feet. The brunette was dizzy and with some injuries, but they didn't seem serious.

- Yes, - she replied, settling down. - We were alerted, so we made it out.

- Do you remember where the others are? - Weller asked, visibly shocked by the situation.

The latina just shook her head. Soon the help arrived and the measures for the rescue of those affected began. Natasha was impatient with no news from Reade, but she knew there was nothing she could do but let the rescue team work.

After hours of working Reade was found along with other wounded. They had a little trouble getting it out of the rubble, the gas that had leaked out of the pipes was about to explode. There was debris crushing the agent's leg and he had lost a lot of blood. Rescuers managed to remove him from the scene and when he was being placed on the stretcher to be taken to the ambulance Tasha saw him.

- Reade! Reade! - The latina screamed. - Don't do this to me, Reade! - She approached him crying hysterically at the possibility of losing him.

Natasha accompanied him in the ambulance to the hospital where he would be seen. When they arrived the doctor examined him and he was placed in a waiting room until they picked him up for the surgery that would be done on his leg.

- Reade, can you hear me? - Tasha spoke standing next to the hospital bed.

There was an oxygen mask on the agent's face and several tubes and wires attached to his body. Natasha was very scared to see him like this and suffered from the possibility of losing him.

- Hi ... - He answered in a small voice.

- Hold tight. They are preparing for surgery. - The brunette tried to comfort him. - You lost a lot of blood, but you'll be fine.

Reade was very tired and his eyes watered. - I love you so much. Did you know that? - He said removing the oxygen mask and looking her in the eyes.

Natasha could not deny the shock she took with that statement, but she knew that he should not be very aware of what he was talking about due to the explosion and the loss of blood. But the way he looked at her filled his heart. She loved him so much that she just wanted to be able to hug him at that moment and say the obvious, that she loved him too. But she wouldn't do that.

- I have to tell you something. - Reade continued. - I didn't kill Jones.

- Reade, I know that. - She tried to comfort him.

- But I didn't save him either. - The man continued.

- You couldn't have done anything.

- Yes, I could. - He disagreed with her.

- What are you talking about? - Tasha wanted to know.

- I was in the basement trying to get ready to watch the damn tape. - He cried while I told him. It was not possible to differentiate whether the crying was due to the pain or the confession he made to her. - I heard something up there and went to take a look. Jones was there, lying on the floor bleeding. He asked for my help and I just stood there watching him choke on his own blood. He blew out a breath. - I stood there watching him die, Tasha! Reade paused before continuing. - The autopsy set the chronology, and so did you. I lied to you. - He looked at her with regret for not having told her before. - Excuse me.

- It's okay, Reade. - The latina who was crying also comforted him.

Tasha gently put the mask back on his face and remained seated beside him until the medical team came to pick him up. It didn't matter anymore, she knew it wasn't him and she didn't blame him either for not calling for help. After years in the police and the FBI, she knew what it was like for a victim to feel hatred for something that was done to her. And Jones was a wretch who deserved what he got.

Many agents died in that explosion. It was the same day that they discovered that Borden was a spy within the FBI and that he had shot Patterson when she confronted him. At the end of the day Tasha came home very tired. He called the hospital and learned that Reade was asleep after the surgery and that it would be useless to visit him, so he left to go the next day.

That night was troubled and she did not eat well and hardly slept. He got up early and got ready to go to the hospital. Reade rested so serene. It was so good to see him well, his heart was filled with relief. She didn't know if she would survive if she lost it.

- Hey, how are you feeling? She asked when she saw him wake up. - The doctor said it went well.

- I am fine. I'm fine. - He seemed very light and his words were somewhat disconnected. - I'm great.

- I think he's on morphine. - Tasha laughed.

- Are you going to be a spinster? - Reade joked when he saw that she held his hand.

- Oh cut this one! - She was embarrassed and let go of his hand.

- It's cold to hit patients in the hospital, Tasha. - He still wasn't sure what he was saying and Tasha figured he didn't remember what he had said the day before the surgery.

- I was worried about you. - She said more seriously now.

- Thanks for being here for me. - Reade thanked her with affection.

After making sure he was fine and would soon be home, Natasha went to SIOC. They worked all day investigating the events of the previous day and looking for a way to end the terrorist organization that had done that. The damage had been great and left a hole in the FBI and many families. Tasha couldn't imagine how the victims' relatives were doing. Therefore, all efforts would be put into this operation.

- You should lift your leg. - She was at Reade's house after work. He had come earlier with a friend, as he could not drive for a few days.

- You need to stop picking on me. I'm fine. - For him she was acting like a nanny, but she just wanted to make sure he was okay, that he felt comfortable.

- Hey, macho man! Lift your leg. - Tasha took a pillow to place under the newly operated leg that rested on the coffee table.

- You would be a terrible nurse. - He said annoyed, but letting her put the pillow.

- You are hungry? - She sat on the coffee table and was very close to him.

- I can make my noodles. - He replied like a stubborn child.

- OK. Sit back and relax. - She wanted to take care of him, just today. Tasha only intended to leave after she made sure he had eaten and was comfortable. If necessary, I would spend the night there so as not to leave him alone. - Lift your leg, please ...

Reade was already very close and stared at her causing the girl to stop talking and look at him too. His brown eyes held her for a moment and when she realized he had moved closer and placed his lips on hers. Tasha didn't react for a moment until she realized that this was all she wanted most. Then the brunette let herself go. His lips were soft and warm. She rested her right hand on the man's neck as he pulled her by the scruff of the neck and brought her closer. Her lips worked in sync and everything looked so sweet and perfect until a thread of sanity lit up inside her that interrupted what they were doing.

- What are you doing, Reade? - She asked still a little confused by the kiss and already sorry for interrupting.

- What it looks like. - They were still very close.

- You're my best friend...

- Exactly. You know me more than anyone. - He tried to explain, because he didn't want to let it look like a misunderstanding. - It makes sense, Tasha.

- Friends, Reade. That's what we are. - Tasha stood up, still confused. - I'm leaving.

She left behind a sad and disappointed man, and also regretted for taking this action. As she went down the stairs, the Latina realized what she had done and knew she had ruined everything. But she didn't want to afford to destroy what they had. Reade was her best friend and always had been, and she loved him more than anything. And if they later realized that they were wrong and failed to restore their friendship. Tasha couldn't stand it.

As she washed the coffee and watched Luca playing in the yard, she allowed herself to remember that kiss. It was their first kiss. So sweet, so pure. Tasha was so scared and pushed him away. Today she couldn't say for sure if she regretted what she did. Reade was everything to her and thinking about the possibility of losing him by taking a wrong step seemed unbearable at that moment. But the good thing is that life always gives us new chances, just open up and let yourself go.

She was interrupted from her thoughts by the ring of the phone.